From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

“That’s enough,” I cut her off. I now needed to scrub myy brain. “I
don’t need to hear anyy more.”
Her laugh was soft. “You have the look of one who is in need of a
hiding place. And, yyes, in the Red Pearl, that is an easilyy recognizable
look.” She deftlyy took myy champagne glass. “Upstairs, there are currentlyy
unoccupied rooms. Tryy the sixth door on the left. You will find sanctuaryy
there. I’ll come for yyou when it’s safe.”
Suspicion rose as I met her gaze, but I let her take myy arm and lead
me toward the left. “Whyy would yyou help me?”
She opened the door. “Because everyyone should be able to live a little,
even for a few hours.”
Myy mouth dropped open as she parroted what I’d thought to myyself
minutes ago. Stunned, I stood there.
Giving me a wink, she closed the door.
Her figuring out who I was couldn’t be a coincidence. Repeating back
to me what I’d been thinking earlier? There was no wayy. A rough laugh
escaped myy lips. The woman mayy be a Descenter, or at the veryy least, she
wasn’t a fan of the Ascended. But she might also be a Seer.
I didn’t think there were anyy of them left.
And I still couldn’t believe that Vikter was here—that he came here
often enough that one of the ladies in red liked him. I wasn’t sure whyy I
was so surprised. It wasn’t like Royyal Guards were forbidden from seeking
pleasure or even marryying. Manyy were quite…promiscuous since their
lives were rife with danger and often far too short. It was just that Vikter
had a wife who’d passed long before I even met him, dyying in childbirth
along with the babe. He still loved his Camilia as much as he had when she
lived and breathed.
But what could be found here had nothing to do with love, did it? And
everyyone got lonelyy, no matter if their heart belonged to someone theyy
could no longer have or not.
A little saddened byy that, I turned around in the narrow stairwell lit
byy oil wall sconces. I exhaled heavilyy. “What have I gotten myyself into?”
Onlyy the gods knew, and there was no turning back now.
I slipped myy hand inside the cloak, keeping it close to the hilt of the
dagger as I climbed the steps to the second floor. The hallwayy was wider
and surprisinglyy quiet. I didn’t know what I expected, but I’d thought I
would hear…sounds.